His Majesty is a pretty nice guy but he doesn’t have a lot to say

To paraphrase the Beatles’ “Her Majesty,” The King of Spain is visiting Cuba but he does not have a lot to say.   I mean, he does not have a lot to say to the island’s dissidents, who keep calling for a meeting.

According to Juan Suarez, The King and Queen are visiting Cuba and and saying “nada” about the repression:

Spain’s King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia arrived in Cuba for an official visit on Nov. 11, just days before the 500th anniversary of the founding of Havana by Spanish representatives.

Before the royal visit it was announced that the Royal couple would not meet with dissidents.

Amnesty International sent King Felipe a letter, made public on Nov. 8, petitioning him to make four requests during his visit to Cuba: Release six Cuban prisoners of conscience, José Pilot Guide , Silverio Portal Contreras, Mitzael Díaz Paseiro, Eliecer Bandera Barrera, Edilberto Ronal Azuaga, and Roberto de Jesús Quiñones Haces and repeal their sentences; Inform José Daniel Ferrer García of the charges against him or release him. Meanwhile, ensure that he has access to his family, lawyer and medical care; End harassment of Cuban artists Luis Manuel Otero and Amaury Pacheco; Repeal Decree 349 that prohibits all artistic activity without prior approval from the regime.

Amnesty International’s letter gives the King the guidepost to sit down with the Cuban government.

At the very least, he should demand the release of some of these prisoners on humanitarian grounds.

The King should call on Cuba to show that real change is happening by giving artists more freedom to do their thing.

So why won’t the King do it?   Well, I guess that the official position is that the King does not do politics.

Unfortunately, you can’t go to Cuba to celebrate the 500th anniversary of Havana, the city that served as the headquarters of Spain’s expansion to the New World, and avoid politics.

PS: You can listen to my show (Canto Talk) and follow me on Twitter.

The evolution of Coca Cola bottle 1915-2015

We remember the story of the Coca Cola bottle.   The famous contour shape was patented in 1915:

"The contour bottle has slim, elegant curves, and vertical grooves inspired by illustrations the industrial designers at the Root Glass Company in Terre Haute, Indiana, found in a reference book.
Since then, the bottle has helped make Coke a global behemoth; it’s helped make artists like Andy Warhol even more famous; and it’s helped establish American preeminence in industrial and consumer-product design.
British design critic Stephen Bayley put on the first exhibition of Coke-related art and design at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London in 1986. He’s co-author of a glossy coffee-table book about the iconic brand and bottle.
“I grew up with Coke — for me, that was the taste of pleasure,” said Bayley. “Get access to Coke and you get access to that glorious American dream world.”
The 1915 bottle was invented in a contest Coke put on for glass-makers. The company wanted to distinguish its packaging from copycat cola-makers who were cutting into its business. Coke’s board issued this challenge, according to a history posted on the Coca-Cola company’s website, to develop: “a bottle so distinct that you would recognize if by feel in the dark or lying broken on the ground.”

Happy # 100 to an American classic.

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1966: Clemente NL MVP

On this day in 1966, Roberto Clemente won the NL MVP.     It was a great honor for Clemente.  He was in the top 10 of the NL MVP vote 4 times in 6 seasons.   

In 1966, Clemente had one of his greatest seasons:  .317, 29 HR & 117 RBI.   

He won 4 batting titles with Pittsburgh.

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